The Ruling on the Niqab and European-Style Makeup

The Shaykh: And peace be upon you all.

The questioner: If Allah wills, and may Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : And you as well.

The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.

The Shaykh: And upon you be peace, the mercy of Allah, and His blessings. Forgiveness. This matter must be known, is it clear or not? And do you know it, or perhaps not?

The questioner: Abu Haytham, do you know this matter?

The Shaykh: Did you grasp it? May Allah reward you with good. What?

The questioner: Our Shaykh, hello, I understood. Ha ha ha.

The Shaykh : Peace be upon you.

The questioner: Shaykh al-Albani. Yes. He gave me the number of Shaykh Abu Ahmad Biliya. Yes, I am asking about the ruling on hijab and the khimar.

The Shaykh: The khimar or the hijab?

The questioner: The khimar.

The Shaykh: What is the khimar?

The questioner: And the face veil.

The Shaykh: This is not called a khimar. The khimar is what you put on your head when you stand up for prayer; that is the khimar. So if you are asking about the face veil, which is called the burqu' or another type called the niqab, which is placed over the nose and under the eyes, then it is understood from your question that it is not about the khimar, because the khimar is known by all women to be obligatory. Rather, your question is about the face veil. So, what is your question now about the face veil?

The questioner: I don't know what the ruling is, meaning, is it obligatory or not?

The Shaykh: And its ruling is that it is not obligatory, but it is a sunnah (recommended practice). A recommended sunnah. So if a woman wears a face veil or a niqab, she has done what is prescribed and desirable in the Shari'ah, and she will be rewarded for it. But only the best of women do this. However, our Lord, Mighty and Majestic, did not make this face veil obligatory for women. So if she goes out to the street wearing the Shari'ah-compliant jilbab (outer garment) such that nothing of her is seen except her face and hands, it is permissible. But covering is better and more noble.

The questioner: Well, which is better, for her to cover completely or the niqab itself?

The Shaykh: May Allah guide you. And what did I tell you? What did I tell you last?

The questioner: I don't understand you. I mean, the niqab that shows the eyes, is it better to cover them or leave them uncovered? That is what I am asking about, because many people, I mean, I wear the same thing, this niqab, and when I see myself, they tell me, "You are showing more beauty this way," so I don't know what to do.

The Shaykh: The more the thing that covers the face covers the face, the better it is. Did you understand me? Is there anything else?

The questioner: May Allah reward you with good. I want to ask about women's makeup; is it forbidden?

The Shaykh: And what else do you mean by the word "makeup"?

The questioner: I mean, a bride comes and gets her makeup and hair done, and so on, even though she leaves my place covered, but I don't know what the original ruling is.

The Shaykh: If the makeup is in the European style, with rouge and powder and I don't know what else, then it is not permissible, because this is imitating the disbelieving women or the open sinners who display their adornment. And I do not think that taking up a profession like this profession to prepare the bride and bring her to her husband requires all this effort and care. The adornment of a woman is that she arranges her hair for her husband and adorns herself, yes, for him only and not for anyone else. As for going to a special place, I don't know what they call it today.

The questioner: Ah. I am at home, of course, I do this work. Yes. I work at home. Our home, I mean, there are no men in our home. My father has passed away and I have no brothers. So people come to me, I mean, I started this business because I hear a lot about the salon being harmful for girls. So whoever comes to me always leaves covered. No man sees her.

The Shaykh: In any case, I don't know what you are doing, but I gave you the answer that this makeup, the rouge and powder in the European style, is not permissible.

The questioner: Well, what if it is for her husband, is it permissible?

The Shaykh: For her husband, she adorns herself with the things I told you about.

The questioner: Well, she is a bride, of course, she is going to her husband, I mean, she is not going to a stranger.

The Shaykh: Yes, but you must not take up this profession. Do you have a husband to provide for you?

The questioner: No, I am still a girl.

The Shaykh: And do you have a brother to provide for you? It is necessary, I mean, a person has male relatives who are religiously responsible for providing for their sisters.

The questioner: I mean, it doesn't exist.

The Shaykh: No, no, it is not permissible.

The questioner: May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh: May Allah keep you safe, and upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah. And upon you be peace, the mercy of Allah, and His blessings. How many times does one greet, once or twice? And you greeted twice, why? Yes, please, what do you have? The phone from Algeria is one of the worst phones in the world. This question, and upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.